resume for college student example

College Resume - Examples & Writing Guides for 2024

You’ve just sat down to write a college student resume.

An A+ resume that converts.

Whether you need a part-time job to cover your bills or a college internship for more experience, we are here to help.

This guide will take you through a simple step-by-step process of creating a college student resume. 

• An example of a finished college resume that works
• How to write a college resume that’ll fill up your interview diary
• How to make your college resume stand out [with top tips & tricks]

For some added inspiration, here’s a college student resume example, created with our very own resume builder :

The above example gets serious results, and yours will too. Simply follow the steps below.

Check out some of these related resume examples that you might be interested in:

• No Experience Resume
• Internship Resume
• Research Assistant Resume
• Students and Graduates Resume
• High School Resume
• Teacher Resume

How to Format a College Student Resume

The first step when creating any resume is to pick the best resume format.

Formatting has a number of benefits, but mostly it allows the hiring manager to read your resume with ease.

The most common resume format for a college student is “functional” or “skill-based”, which allows the hiring manager to immediately see the benefits in hiring you. We recommend college students starting with this format.

Students will usually have stronger skills than their work history, which makes the functional resume a good choice. It’s also ideal for those who have gaps in their employment history.

Now that you have the best format, you need to organize your resume layout .

Use a College Student Resume Template

Before you go ahead with crafting your college student resume, you may want to use a college student resume template.

A resume that is neat and orderly will be a breeze for recruiters to read.

Oh, and it’s the best way to prevent formatting issues.

What to Include in a College Student Resume

The main sections in a college student resume are:

• Contact Information
• Volunteer Experience
• Extracurricular Activities

Want to go a step further? You can also add these optional sections:

• Awards & Certification
• Personal Projects

Interests & Hobbies

But what should you write for each of these sections? Read on to find out.

Want to know more about resume sections? View our guide on What to Put on a Resume .

How to Correctly Display your Contact Information

Now, this section doesn’t require flair, but it must be factually correct. Messing up the contact section can mean the recruiter can’t contact you – oops! 

The contact information section must include:

• Title - In this case, “College Student” or “High-school Graduate”
• Phone Number – Proofread this multiple times
• Email Address – Use a professional email address ([email protected]), not one from your childhood ([email protected]).
• (Optional) Location - Applying for a job abroad? Mention your location.
• Abigail Pearce - College Student. 101-358-6095. [email protected]
• Abigail Pearce - Student. 101-358-6095. [email protected]

How to Write a College Student Resume Summary or Objective

So, this is a job you really want.

This may even be a job you NEED.

However, your competition is fierce. 

And with so much competition, you need to convince the hiring manager within the first few sentences.

To do this, use a resume summary or objective .

These are short paragraphs that go on top of your resume, just under your contact information. They give an overview of your entire resume.

But what is the difference between the two sections?

A resume summary is a 2-4 sentence summary of your professional experiences and achievements.

Dependable marketing sophomore with 1 year part-time experience in a marketing internship to oversee marketing campaigns that maximise profit. Experience includes PPC campaigns, SMM, web design, brand development, and more.

A resume objective is a 2-4 sentence snapshot of what you want to achieve professionally.

Current undergraduate sophomore in marketing with hundreds of classroom hours in marketing and sales related courses. Passionate about maximizing revenue with effective marketing campaigns. Experience includes creating campaigns for my own personal projects in my first term at College X. Skilled in WordPress, Facebook Ads Manager, Photoshop, ClickFunnels, and more.

So, which one is best, summary or objective?

Those with some work experience should go with a resume summary. On the other hand, those who seriously lack work experience should go with a resume objective.

How to Make Your College Student Work Experience Stand Out

Recruiters like to feel confident that you can do the job. There is no easier way to do this than to list your work experience .

Here’s the best way to structure your work experience section:

• Position name
• Company Name
• Responsibilities & Achievements

The Pizza Cabin

03/2019 - 01/2020

• Served food to 40+ people a night and multiple tables at a time.
• Educated customers on menu items and daily specials.
• Received 98% positive customer feedback.
• Engaged customers in a personal, yet professional manner, which helped me to win “Employee of the Month” 4 times.

To separate your resume from the competition, you should focus on your achievements instead of daily tasks. This will allow the recruiter to see the obvious benefits in hiring you.

Instead of saying:

“Served customers”

“Served food to 80+ people a night and multiple tables at a time”

Simply, the first statement is way too vague. There zero chance the recruiter will be impressed by this.

The second statement shows that you were able to serve 80+ people and multiple tables at a time. This tells the recruiter that you are able to work under pressured conditions and to time constraints – impressive!

What if You Don’t Have Work Experience?

Now, not every applicant will have worked in a similar job before.

If this is you, there is a simple way to get around this.

Simply call-upon crossover skills from any previous jobs.

For example, if you held a customer service role at a local pizza restaurant, you can talk about any crossover skills and experiences. Just like a sales associate, you would be able to show you used strong communication and sales skills.

As a student, make sure to check out our student resume guide!

How to Correctly List your Education

Next, it’s time to talk about your education.

Whether it’s a college junior resume or college sophomore resume, your education section is crucial.

There’s nothing too complicated with this section, just simply enter the information for your in-progress degree in the following format:

• Degree Type & Major
• University Name
• Expected Graduation
• GPA, Honours, Courses, and anything else you might want to add

Majoring in Marketing

University of Chicago

2019 - Present

• Relevant Courses: Principles of Marketing, Managerial Communications, Quantitative Methods, and Macroeconomics.

Now, you may have some questions on this section. If so, here are the answers to some of the most frequent questions that we get:

• What if I haven’t completed education yet?

As we mention above, you should still mention your current place of education, despite not finishing yet

• Should I include my high school education?

If you have not yet finished your college degree, you should also include your high school education

• What do I put first, my education or experience?

Experiences are the priority, so those go first

Want more information? Check out our guide on how to list education on a resume .

Top 10 Skills for a College Student Resume

You’ve got all the skills.

But here’s the thing –

Your competition is well-skilled too!

Show the hiring manager that you’re the top candidate by listing your best skills.

But what are the best skills for a college resume?

Create a list of hard skills and soft skills that you have developed so far in life, such as the following:

Hard Skills for a College Resume:

• Microsoft Office
• Typing Speed
• Copywriting

Soft Skills:

• Creative Thinking
• Communication
• Time-Management
• Team Player
• Decision-Making

Tailor your skills to the job description. You can have the best skills in the world, but the recruiter won’t appreciate them if they’re not relevant to the job.

Here’s a more comprehensive list of 100+ must-have skills this year.

What Else Can You Include?

We’ve now covered every essential resume section .

But the school bell hasn’t rung just yet.

You need your resume to stand out!

Acing the above sections should be enough to get you shortlisted, but adding the following sections could give you a further advantage over the other applicants.  

Awards & Certifications

Have you ever won an award?

Have you completed any third-party courses?

Do you hold any specialized certifications?

Regardless of what it is, if there is anything that you’re proud of, be sure to include it here.

Here’s an example:

Awards & Certificates

• Food Handlers Card & Food Safety Manager Certification 
• “Critical Thinking Masterclass” – Coursera Course

Need to speak multiple languages at your new job?

Yes or no, being able to speak a second language is impressive.

And with so much competition, this could be the difference.

Add a language section if you have space. 

Rank the languages by proficiency:

• Intermediate

Now, you may be wondering, “why would a recruiter want to know that I’m a part of the football team?”

Well, it allows the recruiter to get to know who you are on a personal level.

But it doesn’t stop there…

Certain hobbies demonstrate that you have soft skills, like teamwork and communication. 

Here’s which hobbies & interests you may want to mention.

Include a Cover Letter with Your Resume

Your resume should now be ready to send.

No application is complete without a convincing cover letter.

In opposition to a generic resume, a personalized cover letter shows that you care about working for this specific company .

Here’s how to structure a winning cover letter:

You should complete the following sections:

Personal Contact Information

Your full name, profession, email, phone number, and location

Hiring Manager’s Contact Information

Full name, position, location, email

Opening Paragraph

It’s no secret that recruiters skim through their pile of resumes. As such, use concise language to mention:

• The position you’re applying for
• Your experience summary and best achievement to date

With the recruiter intrigued, you can get deeper into the following specifics:

• Why you chose this specific company
• What you know about the company
• How are your top skills relevant for the job
• Which similar industries or positions have you worked in before

Closing Paragraph

Don’t just end the conversation abruptly, you should:

• Conclude the points made in the body paragraph
• Thank the recruiter for the opportunity
• Finish with a call to action. This is a good way to keep the conversation going. A simple “At your earliest opportunity, I’d love to discuss more about how I can help you achieve X” will work

Formal Salutations

End the letter in a professional manner. Something like, “Kind regards” or “Sincerely.”

For more inspiration, read our step-by-step guide on how to write a cover letter .

Key Takeaways

Building a college resume doesn't have to be hard.

Follow the tips in this guide for a college resume that is head & shoulders above the competition. 

Here are our best tips on how to create a college resume:

• Make your resume easy to read by formatting it correctly. Prioritize the reverse-chronological format, and then follow the best practices on content layout
• Use a resume summary or objective to hook the recruiter
• In your work experience section, highlight your most notable achievements to date
• Include a convincing cover letter to separate you from the competition

Suggested Reading:

• How to Make a Resume with No-Experience [21+ Examples]
• 21+ Essential LinkedIn Profile Tips For Job-Seekers
• Use Resume Keywords to Land the Job [880+ Keywords]

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College Student Resume Example With Summary Statement

When a college student has to prepare a resume, it can be difficult because they may not have a lot of work experience. The good news is that your academic, extracurricular, and other experiences can still show an employer that you have the qualifications and know-how to do the job—if you present this information correctly on your resume.

What to Include in Your Resume

Begin with a resume summary statement. A  resume summary statement  (also known as a resume summary or summary of qualifications) is a list or a few sentences at the top of a resume that highlights your qualifications for a position. It is a great way to quickly show an employer why you are a strong candidate for a position.

Resume summary statements can be useful at any career level, including as a college student.

The summary statement should be located below your name and contact information. In a few sentences (or bullet points), state some of your skills and accomplishments that make you an ideal fit for the job. Try to include  keywords  from the job listing.

Mention a strong GPA. Along with your school and degree information, include any achievements, such as a high  GPA  (3.5 or above) and any academic awards (Dean’s List, scholarships, and other honors).

Emphasize your teamwork and leadership skills. Employers are always interested in job candidates who have demonstrated personal initiative in assuming leadership roles and who have proven themselves to be productive team members. Be sure to describe all leadership positions you have held within campus organizations or in academic team projects.

Emphasize all related experience. Even if you do not have much employment history, you can include  volunteer experiences and any extracurriculars related to the job. You can put all these experiences in a section titled “Related Experience,” or divide them into different sections.

Tips for Writing an Effective Resume for a College Student

Highlight your education. As a student, you should highlight your academic successes at the beginning of your resume, before the “Experience” description. If you have completed any projects or taken courses related to the job you are applying for, you can include these as well.

Finesse your experience section. Even if you don’t have actual work experience, you should still include an “Experience” section in your resume. In this section, you can describe your college program, internships, or volunteer work you have performed. Instead of using the header “Professional Experience” for this section, use a more general title such as “Research and Analytical Experience,” “Related Experience,” or “Experience Highlights.”

Look at other Resume examples. Look at some  resume examples  or templates to guide your writing. A resume example can help you decide what kind of content to include, and a template can help you format your resume. However, be sure to tailor a resume example to fit your own experiences and the job you are applying for.

Proofread. Proofread your resume carefully before submitting it. A clean, error-free resume will show that you are professional and that you pay attention to details. Ask a friend or family member, or a college career counselor, to read the resume for you as well.

Related: Best Resume Writing Services

Resume Example With Summary Statement

Below is an example of a resume for a college student that includes a resume summary.

Louise Lerner 87 Washington Street Hopedale, NY 10003 (555) 555-1234 louise.lerner@email.com

• An honors student with a record of academic and extracurricular success
• Extensive leadership experience, particularly within a higher education setting
• Adept at working across departments, with faculty, administrators, and students
• Award-winning written communication skills

XYZ University Hopedale, New York: Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy Cumulative GPA: 3.93; Honors recipient every semester (Expected graduation: May 2022)

Georgetown University Study Abroad University of Trier, Germany (Summer 2021)

American University Washington, D.C.: Washington Semester in American Politics (Spring 2021)

RESEARCH AND ANALYTICAL EXPERIENCE

U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. Intern , Spring 2021 Generated concisely written synopses of current legislative action for use by the department, members of Congress, and the general public through the Department of Education website.

• Researched and presented to policymakers several successful school design and construction projects to support the “Administration Schools as Center of Community" proposal.

American University, Washington, D.C. Research Assistant ,   Spring 2021 Examined how the increasing dependence of needy students on federal loans instead of grants for higher education has affected college access and enrollment, culminating in a 65-page paper.

• Received “Outstanding Final Paper” award.

Historical Society of Hopedale, New York Research Assistant ,   Spring 2020 Researched archival materials, wrote text panels, and selected objects for a historical exhibit on Hopedale in the 1930s.

More College Student Resume Samples

Here are more examples of resumes for college students and recent graduates, with downloadable templates, that you can use as a starting point for your own resume:

• College Graduate Resume
• College Senior Resume
• College Student Resume
• College Resume Example and Writing Tips

How to Make Your Resume Stand Out

USE A SUMMARY STATEMENT: Beginning your college student resume with a summary statement allows you to highlight your relevant job skills even if you lack extensive professional experience. It’s a smart way to catch the interest of a hiring manager right off the bat.

SHOWCASE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS: Don’t hesitate to “toot your own horn” on your resume: describe your GPA (if it’s above 3.5), academic achievements, and contributions to campus and community organizations.

HIGHLIGHT RELATED EXPERIENCE: Participating in extracurricular activities and campus organizations helps to develop teamwork, communications, and leadership skills that are very attractive to employers. Describe how these experiences have provided you with many of the soft skills that will enable you to be a productive employee.

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The Complete Guide to an Irresistible College Student Resume (Resume Examples Included)

• Martin Poduska , 
• Updated November 5, 2023 9 min read

Are you a college student looking for your first internship? Or perhaps a fresh graduate who’s about to apply for her first real job?

If so, then you’ve probably already tried to write your first resume — and became painfully aware of your lack of work experience.

Yet, even if you had a few moments when you felt useless (even the best soon-to-be graduates feel that way), you should remember that every person has skills and knowledge to show off.

The main challenge is discover and transcribe these skills and experiences into words in the right way.

In case of a college student resume, you can look to relevant courses or volunteering experiences. Or perhaps you were wise enough to do an internship during your studies.

In any case, we’ll show you how you can write a fantastic college student resume even if you’ve never worked a day in your life.

Table of Contents

Click on a section to skip

CHAPTER 1: Before You Start Writing

Chapter 2: how to write a great college student resume in 6 easy steps, 1. personal details, 2. professional summary / objective statement, 3. education summary, 4.  skills summary, 5. work history, 6. testimonials.

• Final tips to consider before you press "Send"

Like all things, a good resume starts with having the right mindset. The mindset you adopt during writing will reflect in the impression your resume will give off once it's finished.

Yet, the most important thing about writing powerful resumes might sound a bit counter-intuitive at first: Your resume shouldn’t be about you, it should be about the employer.

Instead, it needs to present you as a capable candidate who'll be an asset to the company you're approaching. Do you still have no idea how can you be an asset to a great company with your current skill level?

Why would anyone want to hire a fresh graduate?

There’s no reason to feel intimidated. Even if you have no experience under your belt, there are people out there who’ll be glad to employ you.

Still, you might be asking, why exactly would an employer want to hire someone who has next to no experience?

There are several reasons. Keep these things in mind and make sure at least some of them reflect in your resume.

• Quick learning and adaptability. You’re a blank canvas. Since it’s probably going to be your first work experience, your employer will be able to shape you role however they see fit within the business.
• Saving on employee salaries. As an entry level employee, you’re probably willing to work for significantly lower salary than seasoned professionals.
• Comfortable with new technology. Recent graduates have grown up around technology and have developed the ability to pick up new tools rapidly.
• Investing into someone who shows potential. Talented people are scarce and far in between. If you invest into someone who shows potential early, your investment will return later.
• Enthusiasm. Everyone is excited about their first job and will work their hardest in order to make a good impression. Graduates bring bounds of creative energy and are more competitive than employers later in their career.

6 Tips to Remember Before You Start Writing Your Resume

Managers are expected to solve hundreds of tiny problems every day. Making the decision as for whether to hire you or not is going to be one of those problems.

You want to help them solve it as painlessly as possible.

• Be relevant. A hiring manager wants to know whether you’re going to bring value to the company and be a good fit for their company culture. Your resume should give them a clear answer to that question. Asking the ‘so what’ question witch each bullet point will help you achieve that.
• Follow the 6 seconds rule. Most recruiters only spend about 6 seconds reading each resume. Make sure your strongest points immediately discernible to make a recruiter give your resume a second look.
• Pack your resume with keywords. Take a closer look at the job advertisement and scan it for a number of words that best describe the position. Include them in your resume. Incorporating keywords will help you get through these applicant tracking systems so your resume gets to a hiring manager.
• Avoid using buzzwords. Some phrases have been used so much in resumes they became meaningless. Avoid words such as “thinking outside the box”, “creative” or “problem solver.” For a more complete list, check this article .
• Use action verbs. While buzzwords are highly discouraged, there are some power words you might want to use. These include expressions such as “achieved”, “advised”, “delegated” and others. Check out this list  for more.
• Fit your resume on a single page. As a college student, you certainly don’t have enough experience to fill 2 pages.

The format of your resume will heavily depend on the information you have to work with. If you have a lot of of internship experience, you’ll want to highlight it just bellow your summary and education sections.

On the other hand, if you didn’t have any jobs related to your desired career, you can play up your education.

If the job requires technical skills like C# or Ruby, consider putting it just below the education section and right above your work experience.

In any case, always make your resume revolve around your greatest strengths and adjust its structure accordingly.

Looking for your first job?

Stand out from your peers with a cool resume.

You don’t have to fret too much about this section. It only becomes relevant once your resume catches an employer’s attention. For this reason, you also don’t want to give it too much space on the page.

Insert it into the header of your resume and follow these simple guidelines:

• Contact details. Put your name at the beginning of your resume. Don’t forget to include your email address and telephone number. Make sure your email address sounds professional. It’s nigh impossible to be taken seriously with an email address like [email protected].
• Address. If your address is close to the workplace you’re applying to, include it in your resume as it could be seen as a positive. This can be an address of your student accommodation , college, or home address. Just put the one that’s closest to the job. Usually, it’s enough to provide your city and state, e.g. Kent, Washington.
• Links to your online profiles. This includes your LinkedIn profile, personal website and/or your web portfolio. Don’t forget to customise your public LinkedIn URL so it looks something like this: “www.linkedin.com/in/yourname” (default version is pretty difficult to read or transcribe as it contains special characters and numbers). Just click the “Edit your public profile” button in the top-right corner of the page.
• Don’t include your photo. Be careful with this one! In some countries, including your photo is a common practice, in most others just an awkward faux pas . A great majority of experts agree that it’s better not to include a photo on your resume (and a college student resume is no different) unless you’re explicitly asked otherwise.

Example: Personal Details

YOUR NAME Email:  [email protected]  |  Phone:  +1-202-555-0157 LinkedIn:  linkedin.com/in/yourname  |  Portfolio:  behance.net/yourname

Your resume should never focus on what YOU want. On the contrary, it should tell a potential employer why THEY want to hire you. What’s the best way to do it?

Write a professional summary that clearly summarises the key qualifications you have to offer a potential employer. Also, don’t forget to include any relevant experiences or skill that can set you apart from other candidates.

Let’s say you worked your way through college financing your own education. This demonstrates your dedication and work ethic. Receiving a scholarship proves your academic excellence. Or perhaps you had a great internship experience. Take your time to pick those accomplishments that are closely related to the job you’re applying for. Most importantly, keep it short and relevant . Avoid anything vague.

Example: Professional Summary

• MA English graduate with five years of experience in academic and creative writing.
• Superior skill in communicating complex ideas in a clear and concise manner. 
• Achieved high academic honours while maintaining part-time employment.
• ICT background and closely familiar with SEO and the intricacies of writing for the web . 

As a fresh graduate or college student, you should put the education section above your work experiences . After all, your degree is probably still one of the strongest cards you can play at this point.

Therefore, every college student resume should list academic distinctions such as summa cum laude, scholars hips, honours such as dean’s list and other awards. Only list your GPA if it’s higher than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale . If your overall GPA is lower than that, mention your major GPA. Highlight your accomplishments and consider adding those of your courses that are related to the job you’re applying for. If you’re yet to graduate, include your graduation date.

Example: Education Summary

University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland BA in Business and Marketing, Expected Graduation June 2017

• Academic accomplishments: GPA 3.8 / 4.0, Dean’s list, Received second place in the university’s business plan competition
• Relevant coursework: Marketing Management, Survey Research, Strategic Internet Marketing, Integrated Marketing Communications, Marketing Analytics

Depending on the information you have to work with, it will be either the work experience or the skills section that will take up most space. If you’ve done several internships and have acquired some experience to speak of, you can simply follow regular resume guidelines .

Yet, the approach that most experts recommend in case of a college student resume is to focus on your skills . This is what they call a “functional resume.”

Read through the job description again and select skills that are crucial for the position. See how they overlap with your own skills and group your experience under each of the respective skills headings.

Notice that no company names or job titles are mentioned here. These will be listed in the work history section. However, don't hesitate to mention any class projects, volunteer work or extracurricular activities that demonstrate your ability and are related to your target job.

Example: Skills

Writing and Communication:

• Degree with an emphasis on clarity and structure in written and oral communication.
• Wrote blog posts, news features, technical documents and marketing copies. 
• Former editor-in-chief of the university newspaper.
• Experience writing business and grant proposals, pitch documents and advertising copy.
• Translated documents and interpreted conversations in Spanish, German and English.

Creative and Analytical Thinking

• Analysis of audience, purpose and style of documents. 
• Strategic choice of wording, tone, format and source of information.
• Ability to take fact-based materials and make them interesting.

Software and Social Media

• Knowledge of social media, blogging and digital marketing.
• Experience with Google Wave, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, WordPress and Blogspot. 
• Managed social media accounts with more than 30.000 followers in total.

In the end, employers want to see those dates and positions. Now that you’ve done most of the work in the previous section, all there’s left to do is to list your work experiences chronologically. Include dates, company names, and job positions.

Don’t forget to list your volunteering positions too. It might not be a paid work experience but it’s an experience nevertheless.

At the same time, volunteering looks insanely good on any college student resume. It speaks volumes about your character, work ethic, and social engagement.

Example: Work History

• Marketing Intern — Wayne Enterprises, Inc., Gotham City — Summer 2014
• Editorial Assistant — Daily Planet, Metropolis — Summer 2013
• Cleaning Officer — LexCorp, Metropolis — Dec 2012 –  Jun 2013
• Soup Kitchen Volunteer — Martha Wayne Foundation — 2010 – Present

Don’t be afraid to insert testimonials at the end of your college student resume. They say more about you than you could ever explain yourself. First, when you describe yourself, it can easily sound like bragging. Second, as a student, you have no authority yet. Let your mentors, supervisors, and professors do the bragging for you.

Witch each testimonial, include the person's name, title and position. If they only gave you a full-blown recommendation letter, extract 1-3 sentences and make sure you don’t take them out of context.

Example: Testimonials

• “Sally was always well organised and punctual with her work and her intelligence was evident. I hope you will consider giving her a place.” —  Professor John Doe, University of Gotham City
• “I have no hesitation in recommending Sally for the job. She is a very good student, a hard worker, and will, I am sure, be an asset to your company and team.” — Dr Suzanne Smith, University of Gotham City

Final tips to consider before you press "Send"

• Use off-peak hours for maximum attention , especially if you’re reaching out to an employer directly. Hiring managers are busy people and you want them to receive your resume when they have enough time to read through it.
• Always follow-up. If you receive no answer within several days after submitting your resume, don’t hesitate to send a follow-up email to remind the company of your application.
• Break some rules. Don’t be afraid to adjust the resume structure we’ve outlined above. Always think about how can your college student resume best communicate your strengths.
• Tailor your college student resume for every role. A generic resume will always miss the mark. It’s impossible to keep your resume relevant if you don’t consider particular demands of every job. Review the job description and modify your resume accordingly.
• Your formatting needs to be consistent. All typefaces should be the same and sizing should be consistent throughout a resume. The same applies to spacing and capitalising.
• Check your resume for typos. Having typos in your resume means an instant death for your application. It portrays you as careless and even incompetent for not using the spellcheck feature in your text editor.
• Attach a cover letter.  Your resume should never go unaccompanied. Write a short cover letter and insert it into the body of your email. If you don't know how to write one, check out our Complete Guide to Writing Powerful Cover Letters .

Give your learning a boost, explore our wide array of resume samples . Get inspired to create a resume that paves your way to a promising career.

Martin Poduska is a resume expert and career advice writer at Kickresume. He leads Kickresume’s team of writers and is the main person responsible for upholding the standards of expertise and quality on the blog. In addition to having written nearly 100 in-depth, painstakingly researched resume advice articles, as chief editor he has also edited and revised every single article on this blog. Tens of thousands of job seekers read Martin’s resume advice every month. Martin holds a degree in English from the University of St Andrews and a degree in Comparative Literature from the University of Amsterdam.

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5 College Student Internship Resume Examples for 2024

College Student for Internship Resume

• College Student for Internship 2
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• Resume Writing 101

Taking a deep breath after seeing the perfect-looking web developer job ad, Dahlia Mathers pulled up her old resume. Having built some solid IT experience debugging software and troubleshooting networks, she was ready to make her next career move with a web developer internship . . . as soon as she celebrated her impending graduation in computer science, that is!

But her college student internship resume needed an update: Dahlia wanted a layout that aligned with Coursera’s vibe to show her enthusiasm for an internship there. Plus, she learned that writing an effective cover letter could be the touch her application needed.

Now, after referencing our time-tested resume examples , Dahlia is sporting a post-interview smile with her new start date! If you’re seeking your own college student internship, we’re confident our resume layouts and cover letter examples can help you, too.

or download as PDF

College Student for Internship 2 Resume

College Student for Internship 3 Resume

College Student for Internship 4 Resume

College Student for Internship 5 Resume

Related resume examples

• College Student No Experience
• Current College Student
• College Graduate
• Grad School
• College Student

What Matters Most: Your Skills & Experience Sections

While the types of skills you include will directly depend on which type of internship you’re applying for, balance and clarity are always helpful! Recruiters want to see that you have what it takes—plus a little something extra that sets you apart.

If you’re going for a more technical role (like just about anything within the realm of computer science), it’s especially important for you to be precise about your hard skills. That means each list item should be both professionally relevant and specific.

So, avoid generic skills or terms that could apply to just any field, and focus on honing your presentation to show more in-depth abilities that specifically qualify you for that internship. Don’t pitch your cooking skills for an IT internship!

Check these out:

9 top college student internship skills

• RESTful APIs
• Algorithm Design

Sample college student internship work experience bullet points

Some applicants get a bit uncertain about this part, so let’s go over a few ways you can show recruiters how you’ve put your skills into action.

Plenty of people already have some job experience that’s at least somewhat relevant to the internship they’re hoping for. List it if you have it! It isn’t “backwards” to go from a job to an internship if you’ve just graduated or decided to switch to a more specialized field.

Use any previous teen jobs , other internships, or even volunteer projects that relate to your career goals and demonstrate your abilities. And always measure your impact! You need quantifiable data like time measurements or budget savings to back up your achievements and prove that you’ve already made a difference.

Here are some examples:

• Performed bug fixes by utilizing JavaScript proficiency to reduce glitches by 11%
• Updated software on computers and performed basic maintenance on office devices to save $12.3K+ in repair costs
• Streamlined work flow by implementing a ticketing system and grouping similar issues together, reducing time to complete inbound requests by 3 days
• Build a scraper in Python to structure data on thousand of publications, using the Natural Language Toolkit library to improve abstract searches for research publications by 14%

Top 5 Tips For Your College Student Internship Resume

• Since you’re applying for an internship, it can be especially helpful to include other relevant courses within or alongside your degree in your education section. Don’t forget any independent classes you’ve taken—especially if they lead right up to your internship!
• Keep your skills list tidy and organized by arranging your skills in groups. So, if you’re applying for a software-related internship: List Python-related skills together, name JavaScript tools in succession, and so on.
• If applicable, make sure you’re upfront about your graduation date on your internship application. You don’t want to confuse recruiters—or wind up biting off more than you can chew to avoid passing up an opportunity for much-needed internship experience!
• Some people really can’t resist including a bold color or two on their resumes, but you really want to keep this to a minimum. Stick with just one color, use it sparingly, and ensure that everything is still highly readable. Show recruiters that you’re already professional and polished for your internship!
• When you pick your resume template , go for one that puts your greatest accomplishments front and center. But don’t be afraid to leave a little breathing room, too—it’s better than your resume looking crowded or filler-heavy. When you’re applying for an internship, you want all emphasis to rest on your qualifications.

Yep, and it’s easier than you might think! Refer to the internship description for phrases and keywords that stand out as good examples of team culture. Reflect these in your resume with a few tweaks to your wording or skill choices to show how you’re already the ideal intern.

Keep it to just one page, and don’t feel pressured to fill the page. Just stick with your highest achievements from college and your most impactful qualifications. Remember, if you’ve got the itch to say more, say it in your internship cover letter .

Just like your color usage, your font choices should be understated. Think “clean, modern, and readable.” Recruiters can only spend a few seconds skimming your college internship resume, so make it easy for them to see the good stuff at a glance!

• We’ll show you how, step-by-step • Real, practical tips and tools • 100% free

How To Make A Resume (With Free Template)

Published: May 7, 2024, 9:00am

Table of Contents

What is a résumé, how to make a résumé, 7 tips for writing a résumé, free résumé template, bottom line, frequently asked questions (faqs).

Whether you’re a college graduate entering the workforce or a parent returning to work after a long time, you need a compelling résumé to show recruiters you’re the best fit for an open position. We’ve compiled the steps you need to take to create your résumé and included a few tips to guide you when building your résumé. You’ll see what goes into a résumé that hiring managers respond to.

A résumé is a formal document recruiters ask applicants for as part of a recruitment process to assess their suitability for a specific role. A résumé provides an overview of your professional background and history, including your qualifications, work experience, skills and notable achievements. It records your professional development and is a potential employer’s first impression of you.

Here’s what a résumé does for you:

• It allows you to market yourself
• It shows recruiters how your experience can contribute to the organization’s growth
• It helps recruiters determine whether or not to call you for the next recruitment step

While there are different types of résumés with various content arrangements and formatting styles, here is the information required to build your résumé.

Add Your Name and Contact Information

When creating your résumé, the first item on your list should be your first and last name and primary contact information—phone number and email address. Also, adding a link to your website, portfolio or professional social media account gives potential employers multiple contact options and insight into your work, especially as a creative. Including your complete mailing address, city and state is also okay if the job listing calls for local applicants.

Include a Professional Summary or Objective

Your professional summary highlights your qualifications, skills and career goals. So, focus on concisely showing how your experience relates to the role you’re applying for. If you’re just getting started, changing careers or returning to the job industry after a break, opt for a professional objective, a summary of how your skills and qualifications can help you do well at the job. However, highlight something valuable the company can gain from you.

Add Your Work Experience

To determine your value, prospective employers examine how you’ve practicalized your knowledge and skills in your previous roles. So, include your previous job titles, organization names, company locations and employment dates. Then, include three to five accomplishments under each role.

Use action words, numbers and outcomes to explain your accomplishment while carrying out your responsibilities. For example, instead of saying you worked on a software updates team, say something such as “developed over 50 software updates that enhanced consumer productivity by 55%.” First-time job seekers can include internship and volunteer experience, but ensure you indicate that it was unpaid.

Include Your Education

List your education history, leaving the highest level at the top. Here are a few things to keep in mind when drafting this section.

• If you graduated more than 10 years ago, there’s no need to include your graduation year
• If you don’t have any work experience, indicate relevant coursework or internship
• If you’re still pursuing a degree or diploma, include the start date, but leave the completion date blank, unless there’s a graduation date
• Include your high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) only if you don’t have a college degree
• If recent, include awards, honors and scholarships and the year you received them

Highlight Relevant Skills

Dedicate a section of your résumé to highlight your hard and soft skills to show recruiters that you’re well-rounded. Aim for six to eight of such skills as are relevant to the role. Soft skills are people skills such as leadership, interpersonal and communication skills, while hard skills are the technical skills required for a specific job. Adding your aptitude, such as “proficient” or “intermediate” can also enhance your value. If applying without work experience, focus on transferable skills such as critical thinking and communication, which are helpful for any role.

Add Relevant Certifications, Licenses and Training

If your job requires certifications, include a section for that below the Education section. List the following.

• Certification or license title
• Certifying body or agency
• Date of certification
• Expiration date (if applicable)

Leverage Your Achievements

To make your résumé set you apart from other candidates, include a section to outline achievements and awards that further highlight your accomplishments and what you can contribute to an organization. These include honors, projects, publications (online or print), volunteer work and leadership positions. Awards show your commendation by those you’ve worked with, while volunteer experience augments your résumé as an applicant without work experience.

Below are a few tips to follow when preparing your résumé.

1. Ask for Help

Speak with those in your field, including peers and career counselors. Glean from their recommendations and pay attention to shared resources’ general language and formatting style.

2. Use the Appropriate Format

Make your résumé easy to scan. A few formatting tips based on what recruiters prefer are:

• Keep your résumé to one page, unless you have over 10 years of work experience. In that case, a two-page résumé is okay
• Set an inch margin on each side of the document
• Use popular fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial, Georgia or Helvetica, and stick to font sizes of 14 to 16 for headers and 10 to 12 for the body
• Choose 1.0 or 1.5 inch line spacing
• Set margins to 1 inch on all sides
• Save your résumé as a PDF or Docx, using your full name and sometimes the job title as the file name
• Adhere to the specific résumé format instructions that came with the call for application

3. Tailor Your Résumé for Each Role

While it’s common to want to include every experience, include only the experience relevant to the role you’re applying for and adjust your summaries, skills, certifications and other information on your résumé to fit that role.

4. Include Necessary Keywords

Since many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) , which use keyword algorithms to filter résumés, ensure you incorporate keywords in the job description. Such keywords will fit right into your work experience and skills highlight sections.

5. Use a Résumé Builder or Template

Consider using a professional résumé template, which only requires you to fill your information in the blank spaces. Human resources (HR) experts design these templates so you can trust them. Plus, they make it easier to build your résumé.

6. Proofread Your Résumé

Review your résumé for grammatical errors, typographical errors and inconsistencies to show recruiters how well you pay attention to details. You can ask someone to read through your resume before sending it over to a recruiter.

7. Keep to Instructions

If a job listing gives specific instructions on the format or content of your résumé, adhere to them to avoid sifting out at an early recruitment stage.

Using a résumé template makes it easier and faster to make a résumé recruiters expect from job applicants. Several résumé templates are available for download, but consider using only those from reliable résumé builders. Customize any of these résumé templates from Indeed and Canva .

Here’s a minimalist résumé template typed out for you.

Name Location Phone number Email address Summary

Work Experience Position Company name Location Description

Skills Skill Years of experience Skill Years of experience

Education School Degree Field of study Location

Your résumé goes ahead of you to help a recruiter determine whether or not they want to interview you to learn more about how your background and experience can fit into an open role and grow their organization. So, ensure you include the necessary information and build your résumé with the tips we’ve collated from HR professionals. They will help you nail your dream job, even if you’re starting out or resuming your career.

What do you put on a résumé if you lack experience?

Even as a fresh graduate or parent returning to the job market, you can draft a résumé that catches a recruiter’s attention by highlighting your transferable skills and completed projects. For example, a fresh graduate can include certifications, volunteer or community service, apprenticeship or internships and extracurricular activities such as club and sports participation.

A returning parent can include nontraditional experiences such as homeschooling and babysitting to demonstrate their leadership and problem-solving skills, amongst the several skills and experiences that come with parenting.

How do I write a résumé to pass an ATS?

You’ll need to study the job post carefully and customize your work experience and keywords to match the primary keywords in the job description . You can also use a résumé writing service to run a free review of your résumé or build a new one from scratch.

Should your résumé be concise or detailed?

Recruiters often spend less than a minute on a résumé since they usually have to review several applications. So, make sure your résumé is concise—comprehensive but brief. “Remember, the goal of your résumé is to land an interview, not to provide every detail about your experience. Once you’re in the conversation, you can share more information about your qualifications.” —Shannon Burkel

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